Rodriquez Wins La Vuelta Stage 12

Last updated : 30 August 2012 By Kev Monks

Race leader Joaquin Rodriquez won the 12th stage of the Vuelta A Espana this afternoon.

Today's 190km course took the riders along the Galician coast and started in Vilagarcía de Arousa and finished at Mirador de Ézaro.

After seventy five kilometres, Amael Moinard (BMC), Cameron Meyer (Orica-GreenEdge), Mikel Astarloza (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Kevin De Weert (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), broke and got five minutes clear.

With 28kms to go, there was a crash and Xavier Zandio (Sky) and Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ-BigMat), went down. Zandiio was forced to abandon the race.

The peloton which included race leader Joaquin Rodriquez, third placed Chris Froome and seventh placed Nicholas Roche, had reduced the deficit to 1.21 with 6kms to go.

Before the finish, there was a final climb which had gradients of up to 30%. Ian Stannard and Flecha led the peloton up the climb over single tracks roads and narrow bridges.

Eustkatel's Igor Anton caught up with Kevin De Weert but Joaquin Rodriquez overtook them and the other escapers both followed by Alberto Contador who then attacked.

Joaqiun Rodriquez shot away and won in a time of 4.24.32 ahead of Contador, and Valverde. Chris Froome was 23 seconds back in fifth place.

Rodriquez leads Contador by 13 seconds and Froome by 51 seconds.